Printing press



June 11, 1935 J SHEPPARD 2,004,801

- PRINTING PRESS v Filed May.12, 1 933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 11,1935."). J, SHEPPARD 2,004,801

PRINTING PRESS I Filed May'lZ, 193s I s Sheets- Sheet 2 June' 11, 1935.

J. F. Sl- IEPPARD PRINTING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 12, 1953Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES PRINTING PRESS Joel F. Sheppard,Dover, N. H., assignor to U.

P. BIL-Kidder Press 00., Inc., D corporation of Delaware over, N. H., a

Application May 12, 1933, Serial No. 670,682.

20 Claims.

This invention relates to printing presses and more particularly toimproved means for enabling an accurate setting or adjustment of theform rollers of the ink distribution train for a proper inking of theplates on the plate-cylinder.

Heretofore printing presses have been so designed that the inking framemay be racked back from the printing section to-provide space in frontof the plate cylinder where the operator maywork to set or change theprinting plates. Thereafter the inking frame is racked forward again orrun up in contact with the printing section to a positive position andpermanent lock during operation. The form rollers of the inking trainwhich contact the printing plates must be very nicely and delicately setto the plates for the best results. Also these form rollers must be setaccurately to the metallic vibrators of the inking train which cut upthe ink and spread it to a film on the form rollers before it istransferred to the printing plates. The form rollers are made fromprinters composition and gener-' ally speaking are soft rollers which,with use or with weather conditions get smaller and continually need.some adjustment if good work is to be procured. Under the presentpractice these necessary adjustments of the form rollers to the printingplates must be made while the inking frame is in printing position, ormade on a closed press. Obviously it is dimcult to look into a closedpress or to use feelers or gauges in an endeavor to adjust the formrollers radially to or circumferentially of the plate cylinder with aview to setthem with proper pressure or contact to the printing platesor to the vibrator rolls of the inking train. a The main object of thisinvention is to overcome the present difficulties in making form rolleradjustments for the proper and adequate inking of the printing plates.Accordingly the inking frame is so designed that, in'the preferred formof the invention, an auxiliary form roller supporting frame istransferable from the inking frame to the printing section and provisionis made for locking this auxiliary frame withthe form rollers about theplate "cylinder permitting the remainder of the inking train to beracked back and leave a space for the operator to work, in front of thethen combined unit of plate cylinder, printing plates and form rollers,while making the required form roller adjustments to the printingplates. Thereafter the remainder of the inking train may be racked upagain' the auxiliary form roller frame locked thereto, and

the whole again racked back to a position where the operator has room'towork and make the required individual adjustments of the form rollersaround the are on which their centers are located to place them inproper inking contact with the ink vibrators. Thus accurate adjustments,impossible under prior conditions, are easily and quickly made by theuse of mechanisms and by practising methods embodying the teaching'ofthis invention.

To the accomplishment of this object and such others as may-hereinafterappear, as will readily be understood by those skilled in the art, theinvention comprises the features and combinations of parts and themethod of adjusting the form rollers hereinafter described.- and. thenparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

While one important use of the invention is for adjustments of formrollers to the various color plate cylinders of multi-color printingpresses its use is not limited thereto and for simplicity theaccompanying drawings, to which reference may be had for a betterunderstand; ing of the nature and scope of theinventiomare skeletonizedor simplified views indicating a single plate cylinder, which may be thesole such cylinder or one of several in the press, with the improvementshereinafter described combined therewith.

In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in the drawings,

Figure l is a View, in plan, showing a plate cylinder at the righthaving the novel auxiliary form roller frame locked inoperative positiontherewith, and showing, at the left, the inking frame carrying theremainder of the ink distribution mechanism, withdrawn from the platecylinder and from the form rollers;

Fig. 2 is a view, in side elevation, of the parts as shown in Fig. 1,although this figure shows four form rollers carried by the auxiliaryframe and. four vibrator rolls in the inking frame, while Fig. 1, toavoid confusion of lines, shows only one form roller and one vibratorroll and also shows an 45 auxiliary frame segment partly'broken away toillustrate the adjustable connection thereto of a form roller housing; I

Fig. 3 is a view, in plan, similar to Fig. 1 but with the auxiliary formroller frame locked to the 50 inking frame; 3

Fig. 4 is a view, inside elevation, of the parts as shown in Fig. 3;(Those skilled in the art will understand that the other side of themachine, not shown in Figs l and 3,.is a duplicate of what is 5 shown inso far as the mechanism of this invention is concerned.)

Fig. 5 is a detail, in side elevation, of one of the two end segments ofthe auxiliary or transferable form roller frame, showing also one mannerof eifecting circumferential adjustment of the form rollers supportedthereon;

Fig. 6 is a View, in front elevation, of the auxiliary frame segment asshown in Fig. 5, one form roller housing being shown in detail and theposition of the other three being merely indicated;

Fig. 7 is a View, in end elevation, of a form roller housing and shaftbox showing the means for adjusting the bearing box within the housingand radially of the plate cylinder and Fig. 8 is a View, in perspective,of one end of one of the rotatable lock rods, both of which are alike,for securing the auxiliary form roller frame either to the printingsection or to the inking frame.

The illustrations show only enough of the printing press to make itclear to those skilled in the art how the improvements of this inventionmay be applied; The printing section frame is indi cated by land thelong track l2 on which the inking frame 14 is racked back and forth isshown as broken. impression cylinder I5 is indicated by dotted lines onFigs. 2 and 4 with one plate cylinder it in contact therewith. Theposition of the axis of the plate cylinder I6 relatively to necting eachpair of lock screws.

the novel features of this invention isshown in Figs. 1 and 3 by a dotand dash line, its mounting in the frame being conventional and omittedherein to avoid confusion on the drawings. The inking train also isconventional and apart from theink vibrators I8, the remainder of therolls forming the train are indicated by dotted circles in Figs. 2 and4.

It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation and it isnot intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the severalclaims hereto appended as considered in' view of the prior art and therequirements thereof.

The form rollers 20 have projecting shafts 2| supported at each endin abearing box 22 carried by a form roller housing 24' shown in detail byFigs. 6 and 7. The form rollers are supported by connecting theirhousings to two end segments 25 curved to fit or to be concentric to theplate cylinder and each having a circular tongue 26 (Fig. 5) on itsinner face. To this end each housing is provided with a co-operatingcircular endgroove 28 (dotted lines Fig. 7) having a sliding fit on thetongue 26. Eachhousing 24 is secured to the segment 25 by alocking screw30 passed through an elongated slot 3| in the seg ment and passed into athreaded hole 29 (Fig. 7) through the outer wall of the housing (seeFigs. 5 and 6). tongue 26 to bring them into operating contact with themetal vibrator rolls l8 by means of turn buckles, indicated generally onFig. 5 by 32, con- Each lock screw of a pair passes through one of thetwo adjusting eyes 33 of the turnbuckle sothat by 'ing box 22 issli'dable in a guideway 34 of the The form rollers are adjusted on the aform roller along the segment tongue 26 due to the fact that the centerof curvature of both the tongue 25 and the housing slot 28 is at thecenter of the plate cylinder when the segments 25 are locked to theprinting section (see'dotted lines Fig. 2) Adjustment of the bearing box22 radially of the plate cylinder to secure proper inking contact of theform rollers with the printing plates is obtained by threading a Bristoscrew 36 through the box, said screw being held from axial movement byits toe bearing on a wall 31 of the housing and its head bearing on theinner face of .a pivoted, spring-held cover plate 38 on the housing. Byinserting a Bristo set screw wrench through a hole 39 inthe cover plateand into the socketed head of theBristo screw the bearing box may beslid along its guideway radially of the plate cylinder. v

The special devices for adjusting the form rollers radially to the platecylinder and circumferentially of the segments to the vibrator rollshave not been described in great detail because" they are not new andwill not be claimed herein except as these adjustments form a part ofthe novel form roller transfer mechanism now to be described.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the formroller frame, which ineludes the pair of end segments 25, is so mountedon the inking frame that it can be separated therefrom and provision ismade for locking this auxiliary frame to the inking frame or totheprinting section as may be desired.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 frame I4 is provided at each side withpairs of upper and lower brackets terminating in C-heads 40 and 42respectively, their open mouths facing toward the printing section andtheir entrance tracks being horizontal or parallel to the lower track[2. Each segment 25, as shown best in Fig. 5, is provided with upper andlower bearing heads'43 and 45 respectively. These heads are each boredfor receiving upper and lower lock rods 44 and 45 respectively. The lockrods are,

held'from axial movement by fixed collars abutting the bearing heads asshown in Figs. land 3. At one end of the upper lock rod is a collarcarrying a handle lever 45 for rotating the rod within its bearings.Similarly the lower lock rod is provided with a handle lever 41.

The frame H] of the printing section also is provided at each side withpairs of upper and lower brackets terminating in C-heads 48 and 56respectively (see Figs. 3 and 4), their open mouths facing toward thehiking frame and their entrance tracks being horizontal like the inkingframe C-heads 40 and 42. The lateral spacing of the inking frame C-headsis such that they are outside of thesegments 25 while the lateral spaC-ing of the printing section C-headi places them inside of the segments25. 44 (see Fig. 8) is flattened as at 52 near each end. This pair'offlats 52 has an axial spacing to match the spacing between the inkingframe c-heacls 4!). The thickness of metal constituting a flat 52 issuch that when the flat is horizontal the lock rod may be passed throughthe mouth of a C-head 46. The upper lock-rod 44 is also flattened as at54, Fig. 8, the flat being cut in the rod at a 90 angle tothe flat 52.The pair of flats 54 are inside the flats 52 and have an axial spacingto match the spacing between the printing section C-heads 48. When theflats are The upper lock rod the inking 1 email); inf'all respectssimilar to the pairs. of flats:

52' and 56. just described, designed for. passing into the mouths ofthe, lower G-heads 42 and 58 respectively.

. i In orderto describe how the auxiliary or transferable form rollerframe, comprising the pair ofv segments 25 tied by the pair of lock rodsit and 4.5,. is used in practice it will be assumed that, the parts ofthe press are first in open posiion, as shown in F 4, with the platecylinder exposed so that an operator may put on the plates. As. shownvin Fig. 4 the inking frame pairs of C-heads 40 and 42 have received theflats 52 on the upper and 55- on the lower lock rods and the handlelevers 4-5 and 4? have then been turned to rotate each lock rod- 9G inaclockwise direction, viewing Fig. 4, which turns the outer flats 52 and55 to a vertical position (see dotted lines) thus locking the auxiliaryframe to the inking frame. The handle levers have spring pins (see .Fig.3.) which take into fixed latching sockets 5i! and; 6.2 on the frame M(Fig. 2) each of which. serves as an index to bring the flats to avertical or looking position. It will be observed that when the outerflats 52 and 56 are vertical the inner flats 54 and 58 are horizontal(see Fig. 3) and vice versa. The plates having been mounted on the platecylinder the entire inking frame is racked over to the printing sectionand the horizontal inner flats 54 and 58 slip into the mouths of thepairs of C-heads 48 and 5D whereupon the handle levers are released fromthe sockets 60 and 52. and are turned to rotate the lock rods in acontra-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, which turns the inner flats54 and 58 to a vertical position (see dotted lines) and simultaneouslyturns the outer flats 52 and 55 to a horizontal position (see Fig. 1).The handle levers are indexed by fixed sockets 64 and B6 on the frame it(Fig. 4) and their spring pins are latched therein.

The inking frame is then racked back again but this movement slips theC-heads 40 and- 42 from the then horizontal outer flats 52 and 56 of thelock rods and although the inking train including the vibrator rolls i8is moved away, the form rollers 20 are left in position around the platecylinder Hi. If new form rollers are to be mounted the empty auxiliaryframe would be locked to the printing section and after racking back theinking frame the form rollers would be put into their respectivehousings 24. With the inking frame racked back ample space is providedfor an operator to adjust eachv form roller to the plates on the platecylinder, with just the nicety of contact that is desired, by means ofthe Bristo screws '36 hereinbefore described, it being remembered thatthe bearing block guide 34 of said form roller housing 24 is heldradially to the plate cylinder; by the co-operating curved housinggroove 28 and segment tongue 26.

The inking frame is then racked up again, the lock rods are rotated totransfer the auxiliary frame froma locked position on the printingsection to a like position on the inking frame and these connected partsare again racked back as shown in Fig. 4. Now the operator may againstep into the press and make such adjustments of the turnbuckles 32 asmay be necessary properly to set the form rollers 2|) to the vibratorrolls J l8. This does not disturb the radial adjustments the formrollers aremoved on the segment: tongue 26 which is concentric to theplate cyl-1 inder.l.a6.,

. Allv of the required adjustments having been made, both expeditiouslyand with a complete view of the parts being worked upon, the auxiliaryform roller frame is left locked to the inking frame, as in Fig. 4,andthe printing may proceed as with the prior printing presses not fittedwith the improvement of this invention.

Many changes in design may be madeby those. skilled in the art and stillremain within the. scope, of the. invention which, in'its broaderaspects, comprises the separability of the form rollers from the inkingtrain, in combination with means to hold them in position aroundtheplate cylinder subject to adjustment. Another broad view of theinvention comprises the provision of ample space. for the operator towork in while making the delicate radial adjustment of the form rollersto the printing plates with ability to inspect the work as itprogresses. The means by which these objects are attained is simple,inexpensive to install and foolproof with respect to its operation and,in the preferred form specifically described, to the setting of the lockrods to lock the auxiliary form roller frame either to the inking frameor to the printing section.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art of printing and with thegeneral objects of the present invention in view that the described andillustrated embodiment of the invention, while illustrating a goodpractical form, is intended as an exploitation of its underlyingessentials, the features whereof are definitely stated in their truescope in the claims herewith.

That which is claimed as new, is:-

l. A printing press having, in combination, a printing section, an inkdistribution section, means to move one of said sections relatively tothe other to-produce an open or closed press, a form roller frame, meanson said frame and on each of said sections for supporting the frame onasection, and mechanism for transferring the frame from one-section tothe other.-

2. A printing press having; in combination, a printing section, aninking frame, an independent frame supporting form rollers detachablymounted on the inking frame, andmechanism operable to detach said formroller frame from the inking frame and attach it to the printingsection. v a s 3. In a printing press of the type having a platecylinder, ink distribution mechanism including vibrator rolls movabletoward and from the plate cylinder, anauxiliary frame intermediate saidvibrator rolls and plate cylinder and bod:- ily separable from each forsupporting the form rollers of the inking train, and means to mount saidseparable auxiliary form roller frame either in inking relation to saidvibrator rolls or in printing relation to said plate cylinder, at thewill of the operator.

4. A printing press comprising a printing section and an inking framemovable to open .or closed position relative to said printing section,an'auxiliary frame supporting a set of form rollers, and means operablewhen the inking frame is closed on the printing section to transfer saidauxiliary frame bodily from the printing section to the inking frame orvice versa at the will of the operator.

v5. A printing press having a fixed frame care rying a plate cylinder, amovable frame carrying distribution train, and means independent of theink distributionv frame for supporting said form roller frame inposition around said plate cylinder.

6. A printing press having an inking frame including a separableauxiliary frame carrying form rollers,'a printing section carrying aplate cylinder, means to move the inking frame toward and from theprinting section, and a single mechanism for disconnecting saidauxiliary frame from the inking frame and for connecting it to theprinting section.

7. A printing press having a printing section including a platecylinder, an inking frame movable toward and from said printing section,an auxiliary form roller frame, means on the inking frame and on theprinting section for supporting said auxiliary frame in co-operativerelation to the remainder of the ink distribution mechanism of theinking frame or the plates on the plate cylinder, and means fortransferring said auxiliary frame from one to the other of saidsupporting means.

8. A printing press according to claim 7 in which said transfer meanscomprises mechanism to lock said auxiliary frame to the inking frame orto the printing section as the case may be.

9. A printing press according to claim 7 in which said transfermechanism includes a lock M ing and unlocking mechanism operating tolock 35' said auxiliary frame to the inking frame while unlocking itfrom the printing section and'vice versa.'

10. A printing press of the type having an inking frame movablerelatively to the printing sec- .tion to form an open or closed press, aseparable form roller frame supported betweenthe remainvder of the inkdistribution mechanism and the printing plates when the press is closed,and means operable when the press is closed for locking said form rollerframe to the printing section whereby the inking frame may be withdrawnfrom the form rollers to open press position.

11. A printing press of the type having an inking frame movablerelatively tothe printing sectionto form an open or closed press, aseparable form roller frame supported between the remainder of the inkdistribution mechanism and the printing plates when the press is closed,and locking means for said form roller frame operable to connect it toor disconnect it from the inking frame whereby said inking frame may bewithdrawn to form an open press either with or without the form rollers.

12. A printing press of the type having an inking frame movablerelatively to the printing sec tion to form an open or closed press,means for mounting a, frame carrying the form rollers alone .of the inkdistribution mechanism in printing relation to the printing plates tofacilitate adjustment of said form rollers while the press is open, andmeans for mounting said form rollers on the inking frame for movementtherewith, after said adjustment.

13. A printing press according to claim 12 in which said means formounting the form rollers comprise C-head shaft bearings on the printingsection and on the inking frame, and a transverse shaft on the formroller frame having flatsto match said C-heads and to enter the openmouths thereof.

14. A printing pressaccording to claim 12 in" which said means'formounting the form rollers section and on the inking frame, andzatransverse shaft on the form roller frame having flats to match saidC-heads and to enter the open mouths thereof, said shaft being rotatablewithin said C-heads to turn its flats to a position preventingwithdrawal through said mouths. j

15. A printing press according to claim 12 in which said means formounting the form rollers comprise C-head shaft bearings on the,printing section and on the inking frame, a transverse shaft on theform'roller frame having flats to match said C-heads and to enter theopen' mouths thereof, said shaft being rotatable within said C-heads toturn its flats to a position preventing withdrawal through said mouths,a latching lever for rotating said shaft, and means for indexing saidlever to a locked or unlocked position of said flats within said C-headbearings.

16. The method of preparing a printing press for making individualradial adjustment of the form rollers of its movable ink distributionmechanism to the plates on its plate cylinder which comprises advancingthe inking frame including said form rollers to a closed press position,disconnecting said form rollers from the inking frame and locking themin printing relation about the printing plates, then withdrawing theremainder of the ink distribution train to leave space in front of theform rollers for an operator to work while making said radialadjustments.

17. The method of adjusting the form rollers of the ink distributionmechanism'of a printing press of the type having an inking frame movablerelative to the printing section to form an open or closed press whichcomprises connecting the form rollers alone of said ink distribution'mechanism in printing relation to the printing plates,making'individual radial adjustment of the form rollers to the printingplates while the press is open, then transferring the radiallyadjusted'form rollers to the inking frame, and flnally, while preservingthe said radial adjustments, making individual circumferentialadjustment of the form rollers to the vibrator rolls of the inking framewhile the press is open.

18. The method of adjusting the form rollers, of a press of the type inwhich said form rollers are normally carried by an inking frame that ismovable toward and from the printing section, into inking relation tothe vibrator rolls of the inking train or into inking relation to theprinting plates which comprises separating said form rollers from theinking frame and mounting them in printing relation about the printingplates, then adjusting each form roller radially to said plates with theinking frame moved back, separating said radially adjusted form rollersfrom the printing section and mounting them in inking relation to thevibrator rolls, then, whilepreserving its said radial adjustment,adjusting each form in either printing relation to the printing plateson the plate cylinder of the printing section or in inking relationtothe vibratorrolls of ,the'inking distribution section, 7 and means forsecuring the said form rollers in either of said relations at the willof the operator.

20. A printing press having, in combination, a printing section, an inkdistribution section, means to move one of said sections relatively tothe other to produce an open or closed press, a set of form rollers,means on each of said sections for supporting the form rollers of saidset in either printing relation to the printing plates on the platecylinder of the printing section or in inking relation to the vibratorrolls of the ink distribution section, and means carried by the saidform rollers for alternately coaoting with one and then the other ofsaid supporting means for maintaining said form rollers in saidrelations while making successive adjustments thereof to said plates andto said vibrator rolls.

JOEL F. SHEPPARD.

